Only Ever You
by Lady Aquinas
Summary: Reaper comes face to face with a woman from his past.
1. Chapter 1

Please note that I write this story not as a follower of the popular game, but merely as a fan of the 2005 movie produced by Univeral. As such, I do not apologise for any deviations from the game. I write this solely for my own enjoyment, and hopefully for that of others. Constructive criticism is always welcome and feedback would be much appreciated as this is my first foray into fanfiction.

This story begins prior to the events of the movie. I am not sure at this time how I will change things (if I do).

I do not own any of the characters as taken from the movie. The rest belong to me.

This story will involve Reaper and an OC.

By the year 2040 the Union Aerospace Corporation had reached the height of both its power and its technological advancement. The Ark had proven to be the beginning of newer and greater things in mans search for life beyond the planet Earth. A new door was open, and man readily walked through it. It was during this fortuitus period that the archaeological dig on Olduvai began to offer up its secrets to the scientists who lived and worked there.

Doctor Samantha Grimm had held the position of head forensic archaeologist for the previous 2 years, and it was under her command that their first major find 'Lucy' was uncovered. It would not be for another 6 months until Samantha would truly understand the importance of her discovery, and what this might in turn mean for mankind. Working beside her in the small windowless office that they shared in the right wing of the archaeological facility was Danielle Fontaine, a historian employed by the UOC to document and record the secrets that the dead planet offered up. It was common to the find the two women working in companionable silence, each lost in their work and thoughts.

At the age of thirty-two, Samantha Grimm was an attractive woman of medium height and build with the fine porcelain features of the aristocracy. Her natural grace and beauty were quick to draw the attention of others, but she gave little thought to her outward appearance. On the surface she appeared cool and reserved, a useful tool in keeping others from getting too close. Yet for those who knew her well, her warmth was always present just below the surface. Her time on Olduvai had been consumed with her work and her passion for finding something on this god-forsaken planet that might make up for the deaths of both her parents those many years ago. In quiet moments alone her doubts often reared their ugly heads and made her question all the sacrifices that she had made. She did not want to reach old age and look back and see that her life had been a meaningless series of days. Of hard work and sacrifice. Most of all she worried that somewhere along the line she would lose herself. More than this, she worried about her brother John. The distance between them had slowly grown larger over the years. He resented the fact that she had returned to the planet that had taken their parents, and she was angered by the lack of value he placed on his own life. She knew that one night her phone would ring and that the call would bring nothing but death.

It had been nearly 5 years since they had last seen one another, and she often thought of him and wondered where he was. It was times like this that her thoughts often strayed to Danielle and she found herself wondering if she thought of John at all anymore. The two women had first become friends at University when Samantha had been in the last year of her degree and Danielle had just entered her first. Danielle had been such a quiet and mousy young woman, so different in both looks and temperament to Samantha. Yet over time they had developed such a strong bond that years later the offer to work together had been too good to refuse. Samantha had always known about Danielle's feelings for her brother although they had always gone unspoken. She had never approached or questioned her friend about them. It had always been her hope that one day John might wake up and see the woman that she was. He never did.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Not a day went by that Danielle Fontaine did not think of John Grimm. Perhaps this was inevitable because of working with Samantha. And at least once a day her heart broke as she thought back to happier times when loving him from a distance had been enough.

_She had never been able to not compare herself to Samantha Grimm. Just looking at the attractive older student made her feel bland and insignificant. With nondescript features and at only five foot tall she often thought of herself as colourless and often wished that genetics had blessed her with at least one stand-out feature. Like beautiful eyes or a perfect smile. At the age of nineteen it felt like she was surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women and attractive men who did not even realise that she existed. Samantha, however, had always been the exception. From their first introduction on the steps of the university library, she had seen something in her that nobody else had. In that one year together they had been inseparable, and when Samantha left after graduation it was with promises to keep in touch. It was a promise she kept. It was during the Easter holidays of that year that Samantha first introduced her to John. They had gone home to Samantha's parents' house in the country eager to spend the holiday in relative peace and quiet. The idea of retreating from their hectic schedules had been Sam's and Dani had quickly agreed. "The idea of hiding from the world has never appealed as much as it does right now" she told Sam on the way out of the city. "I know what you mean' Sam said. ' I need at least a couple of days without looking at a textbook or touching my computer. I only wish that John had been able to make it for the holiday. I would have liked you to meet him'. Sam looked out the car window and saw the buildings and high rise apartments slowly fade away behind them. She was glad that she didn't have to face the house alone. It had been more than ten years since her parents' death but she still felt uneasy being alone in the house. John, she believed, felt it even more acutely than she did. He, however, would never admit it. 'I'm sure I'll get to meet him eventually' Dani smiled. _

_They arrived at the small cottage less than an hour latter and both felt an immediate sense of peace settle on them. The house sat relatively hid from it's nearest neighbours. Large trees blocked the view at front and the house itself sat quite a way back from the small country road on which it was found. Out the front an old fashioned letterbox sat lent of balance and beneath grew a posy of daisies that were in full bloom. The old white picket fence that surrounded the house was in desperate need of a paint job, but it gave the overall picture a charming appeal that soothed Dani._

_The house had been left virtually abandoned over the last few months and the lawn was overgrown and in desperate need of mowing. Under the two front windows roses grew haphazardly and covered a majority of the front wall. _

'_Sorry about the mess' Samantha apologised sheepishly as she moved slowly up the path leading to the door. 'I meant to call the local Mowing service and get them to tidy it up but it just slipped my mind'. Dani looked around and couldn't help feel entranced by how scenic it was. She smiled broadly and laughed. 'Are you kidding? It's gorgeous!' She followed Sam up the path and waited while she unlocked the front door. 'My mother used to love her roses' Sam said as she pushed open the door. 'John was forever getting into trouble with her from climbing on the lattice work' she remembered laughingly. _

_Inside the cottage Sam moved quickly to turn on the power and open windows. The house smelt dusty and needed fresh air. Dani moved to help and within moments a cool breeze blew clean air in and stale air out. 'God I need a coffee' Sam said five minutes later as the girls made their way to the small kitchen in the back of the house. 'Just as well we brought along a few food necessities'. Dani pulled up a chair at the cosy dining table that took up most of the kitchen and stretched her arms above her head. 'coffee sounds good'. The large kitchen window above the sink allowed a perfect view of the back yard and Dani could see the many wild flowers that grew. In the air the scent of jasmine floated and she was unable to help but feel a level of contentment that she had never known before. 'How easy it would be to live here' she thought quietly to herself. The sound of a distant car broke her away from her reverie and she saw Sam move quickly out of the kitchen and towards the front of the house. 'That sounds like John's old Ford' she called back over her shoulder as way of explanation. Dani heard the hopefulness in her friends' words and wished that it was indeed her brother just so that she wouldn't be disappointed. She wasn't._

_Moving quietly to the front of the house Dani heard the opening and closing of car doors and muffled greetings exchanged. She arrived in time to see Samantha being swept off her feet by a large man that was no doubted the mysterious John. Her heart warmed to see the exchange and she was so caught up in the moment that she was unprepared when he finally put his sister down and turned to look at her. Dani felt her breath catch in her throat. He was, quite simply put, the most handsome man she had ever seen. This was the first thought that managed to go through her mind. Then he smiled and she forgot how to think altogether._


	3. Chapter 3

_Dani stood frozen to the spot and wasn't sure how much time had passed until Sam called out her name. Heat flooded her cheeks as she realized that she'd been staring and she lowered her gaze quickly. When she looked up again her eyes went straight to Sam and she attempted a smile that did nothing to distil the butterflies that were having a party in her stomach. 'John I'd like you to meet my friend Danielle. Danielle this is my brother John'. Dani moved her eyes back to the Greek god in front of her. 'It's nice to finely meet you'. To her own ears her voice sounded wafer thin and for not the first time in her life she wished she had more confidence around people. As it was she could barely retain eye contact for any longer than 1.5 seconds before averting her gaze elsewhere. 'It's nice to finely meet you too' John said. His voice was like hot caramel and she felt the nerves in every part of her body heat up. It was only then that Dani noticed another person standing behind him. Looking over his shoulder she saw perhaps the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. Blonde hair pulled up in a classy up-do framed a face that could have, and probably did, grace the covers of Vogue. Green eyes the colour of emeralds looked her over quickly before instantly dismissing her as a non-threat and looking elsewhere. Dani felt the bitterness of loss hit her. The voice in her head laughed at her knowing full well the small shimmer of hope that had begun to bloom in her heart the moment she laid eyes on John. It was as if her conscience had sized her up beside the beautiful woman and found her obviously lacking. In the recesses of her mind she knew that a man as handsome as John would never look at her with love or lust in his eyes. That privilege was reserved for women like the one beside him. Dani was, she knew, a nonentity and the knowledge had never hurt her as much as it did now._

The memories of that first meeting seemed to play through her mind a lot these days. 'I need to get him out of my head' Dani thought to herself as she logged on to her office computer. It was nearing the Christmas holiday and she felt snowed under by the amount of work she had yet to catch up on. Beside her on her cluttered desk her third coffee for the morning had cooled and she contemplated getting up and making a new one but dismissed it, knowing that the last thing she needed now was to get distracted. 'Perhaps it's because of the holiday season I'm thinking of him so much' she muttered quietly. 'Did you say something?' Sam called from across the room. Dani's head shot up as she realised that she'd spoken aloud. 'Just telling my computer to wake up' she said flippantly. 'This thing needs more coffee than I do to get it going in the morning' she joked. Samantha laughed. 'I have this strange craving for eggnog. Tis the season and all'. 'I can't believe Christmas is only ten days away' Dani said softly. They had made an effort the week before to decorate their small office. Tinsel was hung haphazardly on the walls and attached to the ceiling fan in the centre of the room they had placed a small piece of mistle toe that Sam had managed to find. 'Fat lot of good that's gonna do' Dani had said when Sam had pulled it from her tattered box of Christmas decorations. 'You never know,' her friend had replied, 'Christmas is a time for miracles'. Dani had laughed. 'It would take more than a miracle'.

By the end of the day Dani's back hurt like hell and she could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on. Beside her on the desk her pile of work now looked considerably shorter than it had that morning but she knew that it would take a couple more days like today to get it all caught up. Sam had left earlier for the dig and Dani knew that she probably wouldn't see her friend again until the following morning. It was nearing seven o'clock when she finally logged off the computer and left the office. Making her way out of the archaeological wing and into the staff quarters she felt a sense of gloom settle over her and knew that it was because another Christmas was about to hit and she had no one to share it with. It had been nearly three years since the accident that had claimed her parents in a car accident and she had still not managed to find her place in the world without them. A memory flitted through her head of a passage from a book she had read many years ago. _A parent gives their child a map and then they place themselves in the middle of it. When the parent dies, the child has then got to find their own place on that map. _'Right now,' she thought sadly, 'I feel like I don't even have a compass'. The passage ways in the staff sector were eerily quiet leading up to the 'Big Day'. Most of the staff on Olduvai had left already, and the ones that remained were getting ready to leave. Dani knew that it would be quiet here and for not the first time wondered how Sam felt about spending Christmas a million miles away from home. For not the first time that day John went through her mind and she wondered where he was and why what he was doing was so important that he couldn't spend the holiday with his family.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The air in the small quarters seemed electrically charged as its occupants prepared themselves for their much needed vacation. In the corner of the room Reaper sat cleaning his gun and seemed deep in thought. Of all the men in the RRTS he seemed the least interested in their upcoming holiday. Portman, as usual was being a major pain the arse and seemed to have nothing better to do than bitch and whinge because the transporters were five minutes late. Duke and Destroyer had made plans to head to NY to visit old friends and God only knew where the Kid was going. As for Mac, he was headed home to spend some much needed time with a wife that was quickly losing her patience for her husbands' profession. Goat had been fairly tight lipped about his plans for the holidays and it made John think that the older mans idea of a good holiday would be to stay exactly where he was. As tired as he was right now, the idea of having free time on his hands did not appeal in the least. As the men discussed their plans the radio Goat had playing softly in the background started playing some shitty Christmas carol rendition by one of the latest 'I've got no talent' pop stars. As crappy as the song was it still brought home the reminder that Christmas was just around the corner, and this in turn reminded him of Samantha. John knew that he'd let her down. He knew that she worried about him and that by distancing himself from her he was really just hurting her more than was necessary. 'I can't help it' he thought. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to set foot on that planet again. Not only because of the history there, but because 'she' was there. A picture of her face appeared in his mind and he shook his head angrily as if the action might remove her memory from his mind. He was unable to think of her without feeling intense longing and anger at the same time. 'Dani'. Her name felt good on his lips and he remembered kissing her and how good that had felt too. 'Fuck!' he ground out. He needed to get laid. He needed to lose himself in someone else. Someone that didn't remind him of Dani or the one night that they'd spent together. Maybe time off was exactly what he needed after all. He finished cleaning the gun in front of him, packed everything away and laid on his bunk while he waited for their ride. Closing his eyes thought of Dani wouldn't leave him alone and he found himself thinking about the first time they met.

_Pulling the old Ford up in front of his parents' cottage he felt a mix of excitement and sadness mingled together. Excitement at seeing Samantha and sadness at revisiting a place that held so many happy memories of a time that could never be relived. Within minutes of turning off the engine the front door slammed open and Samantha was running down the rickety steps towards him. The look of happiness on her face made him glad he had made the last minute decision to come home for the Easter holiday. Tania had made it quite clear that she wasn't looking forward to spending the weekend in 'the country' but she acquiesced knowing that in order to get John to commit she would have to put in a little effort and mingle with the 'natives'. _

_Within seconds of exiting the car Samantha was in his arms. 'I can't believe you're here! I didn't think you were coming!' She pulled back and looked at him. 'I'm sorry I didn't call ahead' he said. I wanted to surprise you'. She laughed happily. 'You certainly did. In the background the noise of the front door being pushed grabbed Sam's attention and she squirmed in Johns arms until he put her down. Turning to follow Sam's line of sight he saw the small figure of a young woman on the front porch. She reminded John of a little field mouse. Small, quiet and shy. And when she finally opened her mouth to say hello he had to strain to hear her. It was then that Tania made her presence known and he realised that he had yet to introduce him to Samantha. 'Sam I'd like you to meet Tania Richart, Tania this is my sister Samantha and her friend Danielle'. He casually draped his arm around the blonde's shoulders. He wanted his sister to like his new girlfriend and he wanted Tania to like his sister. A second passed as the two women eyed each other and then Samantha's natural grace came to the fore and she welcomed her brothers' new girlfriend warmly. 'I'm just so glad that you could come. We just put the kettle on'. John moved to retrieve the luggage from the boot of his car as Samantha went into the house. She was quickly followed by Tania who seemed content to let John bring everything inside. Bending over to pull Tania's make up case from the back of the boot, he saw a shadow move out of the corner of his eyes. Pulling back he came face to face with Danielle, who up close still reminded him even more of a little mouse. 'I didn't mean to scare you' she said quickly when she saw his eyes widen. 'No, it's fine' he offered, 'I didn't hear you walk up that's all'. He smiled to show her that no harm was done. 'Do you need a hand with all that?' she queried. Straightening up, he looked at the mountain of luggage that needed to be taken in. 'That'd be great' he said appreciatively._

_An hour later the quartet sat around the kitchen table sipping their second cup of coffee. Talk so far had been fairly relaxed as the two siblings caught up on each others lives and the two relative strangers sat politely, only participating when required. Outside the kitchen window the sun began to make its slow descent and a moment of silence descended on the four. John could not help but notice how much his sister had grown up in the six months since he'd last seen her. Sometime over the last few months she had metamorphosed from a reserved quiet young woman to one who now exuded a sense of calm and confidence. He couldn't help but feel proud of who she had become and what she had accomplished. Moving his eyes away from her they fell upon the silent figure that sat at the end of the table. Danielle sat quietly looking outside at the setting sun. The changing light seemed to play on her light brown hair and for a minute it seemed to light it up with hues of gold and orange. He couldn't help but notice what a change it made to her otherwise ordinary appearance. He wondered for the first time who this woman was. Beside him he felt Tania stir restlessly and pulling his eyes away from his sister's friend he pushed his chair back and made his way to place his cup in the sink. 'So, big sister' he said playfully to his older twin, 'what's for dinner?' Pushing her own chair back Samantha moved to the sink and playfully punched his shoulder. 'Depends what you're cooking' she responded smiling. 'Are there any nice restaurants around this place' Tania asked from the table. 'Not unless you count May's Café a restaurant' John said. A look of annoyance flittered across the pretty blondes face. 'What about a casserole?' Danielle offered quietly. 'God I haven't eaten a casserole in years' John said eagerly. 'Have we got all the ingredients' he directed his question to his sibling. 'Everything but the meat' she replied. 'Looks like a trip to the corner store is called for' he said. Five minutes later Samantha and Dani were left alone in the house and John and Tania had headed off to the store._

_Sitting in the drivers' seat on the way to the store John wondered why an image of a plain and ordinary mouse of a woman should flit through his mind._


	5. Chapter 5

This chapter is quite short and serves only to illustrate the jump between present events and memories. I should have mentioned this in the previous chapters, but all writing in italics is to show 'memories'. I'm hoping over time to be able to illustrate how both Dani and John changed. In the movie, Samantha makes reference to John as having been sensitive and empathetic. I'd like to gradually show how events changed him and made him into the man he became.

Chapter 5

The sound of heavy footsteps on the metal staircase broke John from his memories. Opening his eyes he saw Sarge looking down at the room and his men. John knew from the look on his superiors face that he had bad news. 'Men' Sarge spoke. 'Leave is cancelled'.

'So much for getting laid' John muttered under his breath. His sentiments were similarly shared by the other members of the team. Portman surprisingly kept quiet while Duke loudly voiced his displeasure. 'You got a problem with this Duke' Sarges' voice brooked no trouble. 'Me Sarge?' Duke asked with a falsely pleased voice. 'Hell no I love my job'. Sarge glanced over the faces before him. 'Men. We got a mission'.

One by one the crew passed Sarge on the stairs as they made their way to the locker room to suit up. John walked steadily towards him holding another weapon in his arms. 'Not this time John' Sarges voice was cajoling and the hairs on the back of John's neck went up. 'We can handle this one' Sarge continued. John looked at him in disbelief. 'You're bullshitting me' he stated, shock and uncertainty evident in his voice. 'Not this time' his superior stated 'We're going to Olduvai'. The shock that went through John was palpable. 'Olduvai' he repeated the word. 'Fuck'.

John never doubted that he would join his fellow team members on their latest mission. Regardless of the reserves he had regarding the UOC and their exploits on Mars, he knew that his loyalty was to the team. He made his way up to the locker room and changed, thoughts of Sam and Dani racing through his head. It had been so long since he'd seen either woman and he was no longer the same man he had been all those years ago. In his mind Sam still had that fresh out of Uni look with eyes alight with the possibilities of the future, and Dani… He saw her in his mind as he had the last night he'd seen her. Naked and warm in his arms, her head thrown back in ecstasy and his name on her lips.


	6. Chapter 6

After watching the movie Doom last night for perhaps the 3oth time, I realised that there were several errors (especially in regards to dialogue) in my story so far. I do apologise for this and when time permits will endeavour to edit the appropriate parts.

The sharp ring of the alarm woke Dani from a restless sleep at precisely 5.30am. Throwing back the covers she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her dreams had been riddled with images of John, Samantha and the ghosts of Christmas Past. A hollowness sat squarely in the middle of her chest and for the briefest moment she wondered what her life would be like if she threw in her job and moved to a remote part of the world far away from everyone and everything she knew. 'Suck it up soldier' she chastised herself as she moved towards the small bathroom cubicle that took up a quarter or her living space. Turning on the hot water she stripped off the large t-shirt she had slept in stared at her image in the mirror. She'd contemplated in the past getting tinted contact lenses to highlight her eyes, but somewhere in the last few years she had realised that cosmetic additions and changes would do little to make her accept herself. Her hair had been the only concession to change that she had been willing to make. Gone was the plain ole brown of her Uni days. She now kept it shoulder length and streaked with blonde highlights. The tortoise shell frames she wore gave her an academic appearance which didn't worry her in the least. She spent so much time in her office that she generally had very limited contact with the other UAC employees.

Stepping out of the shower she quickly dried off and threw on an old pair of Levi's that had seen better days and a black turtleneck sweater. Her role as UAC historian meant she spent most of her time in the office and therefore her dress was fairly relaxed. Her access to certain parts of the facility were restricted and she therefore tended to receive regular updates via the central computer network. Dani often wondered about the happenings behind the closed doors of the Weapons Research and Genetics Labs, but most of the time she was happy not to know. Occasionally Doctor Carmack came and gave her updates on what was happening in Genetics but she wasn't naïve enough to think that what he told her had any real importance. Quite frankly she didn't care. Scientists were renowned for being secretive and Doctor Carmack was not an exception. Samantha on the other hand seemed more than happy to share all her successes with her and it made her job so much easier. Not to mention exciting. On the odd occasion she had accompanied Sam on what of the smaller digs and it had been invigorating being able to get out and get her hands dirty for a change. Not that she didn't love her job, she did. But it was nice to get away from the office once in a while, and when you worked a lifetime away from your home planet that wasn't easy as said and done.

Leaving her small room, she walked down the main hallway of the staff quarters that led out into the main atrium. Saying a quick good morning to Frank who was the current guard on duty she walked quickly across the circular room that acted as the main meeting point of the archaeology complex and headed towards the staff dining room. She ate a hurried breakfast of cereal and yoghurt and grabbed a large steaming cup of coffee before heading to her office. 'Another day another dollar' she mumbled to herself.

Samantha Grimm sat staring morosely at the computer screen in front of her. A frown marred her otherwise pretty face and she appeared deep in concentration. 'Bizarre' she murmured softly to the empty room. On the screen was a brief memo she had just received from Doctor Carmack outlining his requests for some of Lucy's DNA. It was not uncommon for the man to need any of Sam's work or notes, but what was different in this occasion was that for the past week Doctor Carmack had been spending an inordinate amount of time with Doctor Willits who was head of the Weapons Research division. Overall the two men generally had little contact as their two facilities had little to nothing in common. Before she could ponder it further the nano-door engaged and Danielle walked through. Minimising the screen quickly she turned to face her long time friend. 'That smells good' she said referring to the cup of coffee Dani carried. 'I didn't realise you would be in already or I would have brought you one' Dani replied. 'But I'm in such a good mood that I'm more than happy to share' a pretty smile lit up her face and Sam wondered if Dani realised how beautiful she was when she smiled. 'I'm in such a bad mood that I'll take you up on that offer' Sam joked. She pulled her regular coffee mug from out of her desk draw and walked over to where Dani had sat her coffee. Pouring half of into her mug she brought it up to her mouth where she inhaled the aroma deeply before taking a hesitant sip. 'Mmmm. Nectar of the Gods.'

The two women quickly started working and the sound of computer keys being pressed was a constant background noise. It was otherwise peaceful for the rest of the morning until the security alarms installed above the nano-door started up and both women looked up at the machine as if it had come to life. 'What the hell?' Dani muttered. She looked across the room at Sam a questioning look on her face. 'Don't ask me' she answered. 'Let me see if Pinky knows what's going on. She reached across her desk and engaged the main communication interface button. 'Pinky?' 'Yeah Sam' he came back. 'What's going on?' Dani had made her way over to her desk and was looking anxiously over her shoulder at the image of Pinky that dominated her computer screen. 'I'm not sure. Give me a few minutes and I'll get back to you'. The computer screen went blank. 'I've worked here for two years now Sam and I've never once seen that alarm go off. Do you think its something in the Weapons department?' The very real fear that some nuclear device or other such weapon may have malfunctioned or been accidentally triggered was foremost in her mind. Crazy bloody scientists... She shook her head acknowledging her own thoughts. 'It's too early to say' Sam replied calmly. 'It may even be a drill or the alarm could've been accidentally set off. I think we should stay put until Pinky gives us the all clear'. Dani quietly returned to her desk but she was unable to concentrate on work and sat staring at the alarm. 'A watched pot never boils Dani' the voice of her mother echoed in mind. 'I know mom I know'.


	7. Chapter 7

The sound of the chopper engines made conversation almost impossible and John was thankful that the other men didn't bother trying to engage him in small talk. He knew that Sarge had asked him to stay behind but at the same time he wasn't stupid enough to think that his superior didn't actually want him to come. He kept his eyes closed for the duration of the trip to the main UAC access point and a bevy of unwelcome images and memories fought for centre stage in his mind. Not for the first time did he wish that he could wipe thoughts of Danielle from his memory. He just prayed that when he finally saw her again he wouldn't feel that empty feeling inside that she had left him with five years ago.

_That first Easter was the beginning of regular 'family' get togethers for Samantha, John and Dani. Occasionally John would bring along his latest flame but as time went on those times became far and few between. Sam had graduated and accepted a job working for a small archaeology team that had its base in Toronto. Dani still had a year left on her degree and John had just taken up a position as an assistant lecturer at his old University. Over that period time he and Danielle had formed an odd sort of attachment. When work became hectic and things got him down he couldn't help but wish that he was at the cottage and sharing the solitude and peace with Sam and Dani. At first he had viewed his sisters' friends as a little bit odd. He had never met anyone as quiet and reserved. She rarely smiled and there was a shuttered look in her eyes that made him wonder who she really was. He couldn't help but think that the Dani he was seeing was just a casing hiding the real woman underneath. _

_Samantha received the offer to work on Olduvai the following year. At first she was hesitant to mention it to John because she knew how he felt about the UAC and Mars. Her loyalty and love for her brother was absolute but the desire to see something beautiful come out of their parents death was stronger. 'What!' his voice thundered out echoing off the walls of the cottage. They had come together to celebrate Christmas and Sam knew that the time had come to tell him. 'You're kidding me right?'. His beautiful eyes bore holes in her as he waited for her answers. 'I know that you're not going to understand John but this is something I need to do' she pleaded with him. Never before had she needed his support as much as she did right now. 'Absolutely not Samantha. I'm not going to stand by and watch you fuck up your life on that worthless piece of shit planet' the rage in his voice made Sam shiver. Sitting quietly in the corner of the room Dani watched the interaction with trepidation. She understood what drove Sam and she knew how much John loved his sister, but she couldn't help but feel a slither of fear at what the outcome of this conversation would be._

'_It's a little late John.' She whispered softly. 'I've already accepted'. Turning away from his sister with a ferocity that he didn't know he had in him he lashed out and kicked the small coffee table in the centre of the room. It flew several metres in the air and crashed into the bookcase against the opposite wall. 'Please John...'Sam pleaded her arm outstretched towards him. 'I can't believe you would do this Samantha' his eyes and voice were accusing. 'It's what I want John, doesn't that count for something?' a touch of anger laced her voice. 'No it goddamn doesn't' he forced out. He knew how unreasonable he sounded but he needed her to know that this was just not acceptable. He didn't want to lose her. 'I'm sorry that you feel that way John' her voice sounded steely and she squared her shoulders in defiance. 'I'm doing this whether you approve of it or not'. Turning away she crossed the floor and left the room. _

_Dani sat unmoving as she watched the exchange and when Sam left the room she was unsure of what to do or say. Seeing the defeated slump of John's shoulders as he stood looking out the window she left the relative security of her chair and crossed to where he stood. Reaching out she placed the palm of her hand on his shoulder. 'John' she said softly. 'Leave me alone Dani' he spat out. 'Just leave me the hell alone'. He did not see the crushed look on her face or the tears that quickly pooled in her eyes and threatened to overflow. She did the only thing she could. She turned and walked away._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Five minutes had passed and still they had heard nothing from Pinky. 'What the hell's going on out there' Dani demanded. Samantha shook her head. She had just about decided to get Pinky on the comm again when the computer came to live. 'Sam? Danielle?'. 'We're here Pinky. What's the word?' Sam answered. Dani moved to get a closer look the monitor and the hairs on the back of her head stood up. 'I've got a bad feeling about this' she thought. 'Carmack's called a code 5. Access to both Genetics and Weapons has shut down and the UAC Headquarters at home have been notified. They're sending up the Rapid Response Tactical Squad to find out what's going on'. Dani straightened up instantly on hearing this news. She looked expectantly at Samantha and could see that the news of the RRTS's imminent arrival had surprised her also. Dani reached over Sam and depressed the interface button. 'When are they expected to arrive Pinky?' she questioned him. The image on the screen shook his head in confusion. 'Not sure. My guess is that they'll arrive sometime in the next half hour. You wanna be notified?' Sam seemed to have gathered herself together and replied quickly. 'As soon as they arrive please Pinky'. 'Will do' he answered. For the second time that morning the screen went blank.

Dani felt a weakness in her legs and barely managed to make it back to her desk before her legs gave way. 'Calm down Dani' she told herself. 'It doesn't matter whether John comes or not. What happened was a long time ago and you're a different person now'. She took several deep breaths and plastered a serene look on her face. Turning, she looked over at Sam who seemed equally nonplussed at the turn of events and the arrival of the RRTS. 'So' she began. 'Looks like time for a family reunion'. Her voice was light but she could not hide the slight quiver of uncertainty. 'It's been nearly five years Dani' her friend said softly. 'I don't even know who he is anymore'. A dejected look crossed her face and Dani's heart went out to her. She felt suddenly guilty for having not considered her friends feelings. 'Of course you do Sam' she offered, 'He's your brother and I know that he never stopped loving you'. Samantha's brown eyes misted over and she shook her head in acknowledgement of her friends' words. 'Well' she said with a little bit more confidence as she rose from her desk, 'we'll soon see'.

Dani thought back to the argument Sam and John had had and the events that occurred afterwards quickly flashed through her mind.

_After leaving John in the lounge room Dani quickly went to her room on the second floor. She knew that both John and Sam needed time alone and after her brief words with john she didn't feel like talking to anyone anyway. She lay across the floral quilt that covered the bed and wondered if she'd ever get John out of her system. In the past twelve months she'd forced herself to go on a series of dates in the hope of meeting someone who could make her feel what John did. Each time she started to feel that it might happen memories would invade her and she knew that to continue seeing anyone else would be to live a lie and hurt others unnecessarily. A movement at the door caught her eye and she sat up. 'I need to head back to the city tonight Dani' Sam stood in the doorway an overnight bag in her hand. 'I've got to fix a couple of things up at work. I'll be back tomorrow ok?' Dani got off the bed and went and embraced her friend. She did not acknowledge what Sam had just told her. Reaching out she took her friend into her embrace and held her tight. 'He'll come around Sam' she whispered gently. Sam nodded her head against her shoulder but didn't answer. A moment later she pulled away and straightened her shoulders. 'Will you be ok her until I get back. ? 'Of course' Dani nodded. Samantha offered her a smile that was weak and paper thin, turned and left the house. _

_The sun had all but gone down when Dani heard the front door slam. She had been curled up in a corner chair reading an old paper back novel and upon hearing the noise rose and walked to the window. Looking down at the drive way she saw John get into his old Ford, start the ignition and drive off in a hale of gravel. She suddenly felt very lonely. Looking up she saw a dark contingency of clouds gathered. 'You look just how I feel' she told them. Leaving the room she moved to the kitchen switching on lights along the way. Within minutes the rumble of thunder could be heard and she waited in anticipation for the rain to come. It had always had a soothing affect on her nerves and afterwards when the skies cleared she felt cleansed and ready to keep going. After making a cup of coffee she moved out to sit on the front porch and within minutes the skies opened. _

_She did not know how long she sat there, but by the time she went back inside it was well and truly dark and her stomach rumbled loudly telling her it was way past dinner time. She did not have the heart to prepare anything fancy and so she fixed a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich and took it upstairs to her room. The food tasted like cardboard and she forced herself to eat at least half of it. 'Where are you John' she thought. _

_Half an hour later she stepped out of the shower. Wrapping herself in a silk kimono that Sam had given her for her last birthday, she walked downstairs and made herself another cup of coffee. The house was eerily quiet and the sound of rain on the tin roof had eased off altogether. It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't belong here. As much as she loved both Sam and John, she was an outsider. 'Should've asked Sam to give me a lift home' she mumbled. Letting out a sigh she took her hot drink into the lounge and curled up on the same chair she had abandoned earlier. No sooner had she got comfortable than the familiar sound of Johns Ford was heard as he pulled off the road and into the driveway. It suddenly occurred to Dani that she was all but naked and he was about to walk through the door. 'Shit' _

_Heavy footsteps echoed off the front porch and an instant later the front door was pushed open with an almighty bang. Dani nearly jumped out of her skin at the loud noise. 'John' she called out. 'Yeah Dani, it's me'. His voice was soft and he sounded like the weight of the world sat on his shoulders. He walked into the room and the first thing she noticed was how tired he looked. The second thing was that he had obviously had a lot to drink. In his left hand he clasped a half empty bottle of Jack Daniels and his eyes were glazed and red rimmed. 'Are you ok?' she queried. 'Just fine' he lied. Moving to sit across from her he extended his long legs out in front of him. Dani, who had placed her legs on the floor prior to his entrance to the house, suddenly felt his nearness. 'You look tired John' she offered up as way of conversation. His eyes met hers and held for several seconds while she waited for him to say something. 'I'm sorry about this afternoon Dani'. His beautiful brown eyes did not lie to her and she saw the regret clearly in them. 'It's ok John'. He broke his gaze away and took a long drink from the bottle he still clutched in his hand. 'Have you had something to eat?' Dani asked. 'I'm not hungry Dani. I just feel damn old and damn tired'. Having said this John stood slowly and Dani saw him sway slightly before he regained his balance. Without thinking she moved quickly to him and took his upper arm in between her two hands. 'Here, let me help you. I think you and Jack have spent enough time in each others company tonight'. Reaching out she slowly took the bottle from him and placed it on the bookcase against the wall. Together they walked up the hallway that lead to the guest room on the bottom floor. Pushing open the door to his room Dani felt for the light and switched it on. The room contained very little other than a large bed and a set of drawers. The floors were polished and the walls were painted a soft cream. It's a nice room Dani decided. Manoeuvring John towards the bed she was unprepared for him to relax against her and she suddenly felt the full weight of him. 'John' she said quickly. 'Sorry' came the mumbled reply. Using her hands she managed to turn him until he was sitting on the side of the bed. Kneeling in front of him she began untying the laces of his boots. It was a small act of kindness, and Dani knew that she would always treasure this small show of intimacy. With her gaze centred on the task in front of her she did not see the way that John looked at her. In his eyes there was a need that burned as strong as any flame and he was unable to stop himself from reaching out and touching her. Dani felt the touch as soft as butterfly wings against her hair and she looked up in confusion. In an instant John lent forwards and touched his lips to hers. His lips were warm against hers and tasted of the whiskey he had drank and when he pulled back she felt the loss keenly. They sat there in silence, each not knowing what to do. Finally, as if a decision had been made, John reached out and cupped her face gently in his hands and brought his lips back down to meet hers. It was not a gentle kiss. There was a hunger in him that fed his desperation and he ravaged her mouth with a passion he had never felt before. Dani meet him and brought her hands up to pull him closer. Every fantasy she had ever held about being kissed by this man flew out the window and she knew deep within her that she would never find anyone who could make her feel like was right now._

_Authors Note._

_This has been a difficult chapter for me to pen as this is my first fanfiction and I have never had to write a sex scene before. I'd greatly appreciate any feedback on how this chapter has gone. Constructive criticism is welcomed. _


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Authors note: I've decided to try my hand at writing in first person for the next couple of chapters. I hope that this doesn't interfere with how the story is panning out. I've had heaps of people read it so far, but as yet no reviews. I'd love to get some feedback!

Danielle

'Dani'. The sound of my name being called broke me from my reverie. Thoughts and memories of John faded to the background of my mind, and I turned to face my friend. 'Sorry Sam, I was miles away'. I felt my face flushed with heat and hoped that it did not betray my thoughts. 'I was saying that I need to go down to the lab to collect the latest data reports in from the forensic labs.' Standing from her seated position in front of her desk, she was a picture of professionalism. She had donned the standard attire of a scientist: long flowing white lab coat, hair pulled back in a neat bun and tortoise shell spectacles that perched neatly at the end of her nose. There was an air about Samantha that had always made me feel slightly uncomfortable. It was as if she made no effort in her beauty and grace and I could not help but feel dowdy when I compared myself to her. 'I'll be gone roughly twenty minutes' she was saying. 'If you hear from Pinky, let me know ok?'

I was too restless to remain sitting at my desk, and the crazy sudden urge to run overwhelmed. It was as if my skin had suddenly tightened and I wanted to desperately shed it. I was a rational person by nature and it frustrated me that after five years I was still as much affected by the thought of John as I'd been in my college years. The sudden ringing of the phone startled me and with adrenaline racing through my veins I picked up the receiver. 'Hey sexy'. Guilt rode me as I realized that I'd given no thought in the last hour to Geoff. His deep and soothing voice did nothing to calm my nerves. 'Hi Geoff'. 'You ok?' His concern did nothing to appease my feelings of deceit. 'I'm fine, and you?' There was a pause at the other end of the phone, and I pictured him nursing the receiver between his chin and his shoulder while he worked. 'You sound funny. You sure you're ok?' It was one aspect of our relationship that frustrated me enormously. I was an independent woman who prided myself on being able to handle things myself, and Geoff, by nature was the kind of man that most women would have loved. If there was a problem, he wanted to solve it, if I was depressed; he wanted to make me feel better. The problem was Geoff didn't know when to back off. I loved him as much as I could love any man that wasn't John. 'Geoff, I'm fine. Just really busy right now' I hoped that he would take the hint. 'I heard that the RRTS is on the way' His voice took on a petulant tone and I didn't have the strength to offer him meaningless words in order to sooth his ego. I had never lied to him about my feelings. I did not believe in offering false hope or sweet nothings when they did not exist. Geoff knew about John. Perhaps it was the nature of a man wounded to want to prove that he was worthy of being first in the eyes of a woman. Whatever the case, he had always accepted that my heart was not whole and that a part of it would always live elsewhere. 'It's protocol in a situation like this Geoff' I offered. 'Why don't we meet up in the cafeteria for lunch?' he countered. I ended the conversation after assuring him that I'd let him know what my plans were closer to the time. For the next hour I worked at my computer and for the briefest amount of time I forgot about the events that had happened and the ones that would no doubt soon take place. My fingers maintained a steady pace on the keyboard until the sound of the nano-wall being engaged caught my attention. Walking through it like a whirling dervish, her coat billowing out behind her like a superhero, Samantha strode to her desk with determination. I was alerted instantly that something had either gone wrong, or was about to. 'What happened?' I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer. 'They're here'. Keeping my face neutral I returned to the work in front of me. The screen in front of me was a blur and it took all my strength to slow down my mind and concentrate on the words in front of me. 'Hopefully they'll resolve whatever the problem is quickly', the words were calm and belied the flurry of emotions inside of me. I could feel her eyes on me and for not the first time wondered what she was thinking. 'Aren't you nervous?' The words stopped me cold. Perhaps she knew I thought. Maybe he'd told her. Did it matter? I asked myself. The answer was most definitely 'no'. 'Why would I be nervous Sam? I spoke into the screen in front of me. I knew that if I was to look at her right now she would see everything written clearly on my face. My only chance of nonchalance now was to appear calm and collected. She seemed to re-gather herself, shook her head and mumbled something under her breath. The conversation had ended and my relief was immense.

Reaper

'How longs it been?'

I did not need to look at him to know what he referred to. Keeping my eyes averted I replied: 'Five years'. Over the years that I had spent in the RRTS and under the command of Sarge, I had found him to be a strong leader, a fearless combatant, and a loyal friend. 'You sure their still even up there?' A lump had formed in my throat and I nodded in answer. 'Guess you have to face your demons sometimes'.

At that particular moment I could not help but see the irony of my situation. Over my time in the marines I had faced evil in many shapes and forms, always with nerves of steel. Goat had commented more than once that my name was more appropriate than I realised. 'You have no fear of death my friend' he had said on more than once occasion. Yet here I sat, surrounded by seven other marines, each one armed to the teeth and inside I was a wreck. Many emotions warred for place in my mind and my chest. I hoped that Samantha and Dani were ok. I wanted to see them, hold them, and protect them. I wanted to tell them how much they meant to me. Yet I wanted to scream at them, lash at in any way I could. I still felt betrayed by Sam's choice and if I was honest, I wanted to hurt her for what she had put me through. And Dani, I loved her still. But right at that particular moment I had an almost uncontrollable urge to hurt her and make her suffer for what she had done to me. Over the last five years I had painted a picture of her in my head as she had been on our one night together. The hurt that I had felt on waking alone in my bed to find her gone had festered inside me until I could hardly breathe from the pressure it placed on my heart. Suddenly, I was possessed with a powerful urge to hunt, to kill, to shed blood.

Hope this chapter wasn't too difficult for people to follow. Feedback would be great.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Dani

It was hard to concentrate on my work knowing that John was somewhere in the facility. I couldn't help but wonder what he looked like know. In my mind, the picture I'd so faithfully kept of him was as he'd been on our one night together. I remembered how soft his hands had been as they'd touched me, the way he'd looked at me as if I was the only woman he'd ever wanted. I'd known as soon as he'd kissed me that I needed to run. I'd known that this wasn't my John, but another man who was suffering and looking for a way to escape the hurt he was feeling. But I wanted him. I wanted him with a depth and intensity that scared me and I also knew that this was my one chance to have him, even if it was only for one night. And so I didn't run. I stayed and I let him love me. I let myself love him and I held nothing back. I had not been a virgin then, but my experiences up until that time had been minimal and passionless. A part of me would always cherish that night and a part of me wished desperately that it had never happened. In a way I felt that it had ruined my chances of ever finding passion with someone else. Although my relationship with Geoff was casual, I was not stupid enough to think that he did not genuinely care for me. Perhaps even love me. But when I lay in his arms it was not his face that I saw, nor his name that I wished I could cry out. It was these times that I truly hated John. Without him I felt half the woman I knew I could be. I wanted to be able to look at Geoff and feel the same things that I did when I thought of John. The rapid beating of my heart in my chest, butterflies in my stomach and the intense heat pooling in my veins. When the job of UAC historian had become available I had been overjoyed. Not only was it an amazing coop for someone fresh out of college, but in my heart I guess I thought if I put planetary distance between myself and John, I'd be able to forget him easier. And so, here I was, hiding in my office, waiting to face my past.

Reaper

By the time the chopper set down I had managed to calm down my frayed nerves. It helped to remind myself that I wasn't here because of Dani, or Sam. There was a job to do, and if I didn't keep my head in the game someone could die. It was deathly silent as we entered the elevator leading to the main Ark Facility in Nevada. Beside me, I felt fear and awe radiating off the Kid in waves. I knew from experience that in time his fear and awe would turn into a healthy respect for what was in front of him. In our line of profession it paid to respect evil and the danger that it represented. Meeting us in the main atrium was Sanford Crosby, a weaselly little man known for his fine taste in wine and cigars and also for the fact that he didn't like to get his hands dirty. I was more than certain that he'd been with Union Aerospace for such a long time because he was adept at butt-kissing. I tuned out as he explained the procedure of Ark travel. From what I could tell not a lot had changed in the years since I'd been here. I wondered what to expect on Mars and it crossed my mind that there was a chance that Sam and Dani might not be alright. I shouldered my weapon upon Sarges' look, stepped towards the portal, closed my eyes and let it take me.

Dani

I was tired of sitting here waiting. My nerves were crawling and I could feel the sweat beading on my forehead. 'Sam I'm heading to the cafeteria to grab a bit to eat. Want me to bring you something back?' I was already half way across the room. Uncertainty flashed across her face and I knew she was contemplating joining me. 'I better stay in case Todd tries to contact me or if the RRTS need to speak to me. A coffee would be great though'. I heard the whispers and saw the concerned faces of the other inhabitants of Olduvai. As was to be expected at times like this, people were huddled in small groups talking. Pinky retained his seat behind the main comm. console and I walked purposely towards him. I was tired of waiting and I wanted to know what the hell was going on. 'Not a lot to tell you Dani. Their chopper landed in Nevada ten minutes ago. My guess is that they'll be here any minute'. I did not wait around to greet the new arrivals. Moving towards the cafeteria I felt nauseous and knew that my appetite had fled. Sam was right though, a coffee would be great. The room was all but empty when I arrived. I saw Geoff right away and cursed myself once more for having so easily forgotten him. Grabbing 2 Styrofoam cups off the serving bench I quickly made the coffees and took them over to where he sat. 'Hey' I said sitting down opposite him. 'I was wondering if you'd come' he said and I detected the hurt in his words. 'Geoff it's been a crazy day, there's a lot going on ok?' I was not in a mood to cater to his needs right now. The guilt hit me again. 'I'm not stupid Dani' he looked me straight in the eye. 'I know that John's coming'. I was suddenly angry at the unsaid accusations he was making against me. 'What do you want me to say Geoff? What? Tell me.' He lowered his eyes, not prepared to here what I was really saying, which was 'I don't love you'. 'Look,' I softened my voice, 'I need to get back to the office right now, but maybe we can meet up later'. I moved over to his side of the table, lent down and kissed his cheek. He did not offer me his lips and I did not demand it of him.

Reaper

The first thing I noticed upon our arrival was Pinky. Like Sanford Crosby, it had been years since I'd last seen him and in that time he had aged considerably. Moving deftly over to where the team was continuing to arrive, I nodded in his direction. 'Pinky'. 'Hello John. Long time no see'. Sarge was the last to arrive and in no time had positioned us in a circle in order to get our comm. links up. We had very little information about what was happening here. The message sent by Todd Carmack gave little indication as to what had gone wrong or what to expect. All we knew was that sections of the facility had been shut down and a code red had been called. Glancing around the atrium I noticed several UAC employees standing around. Portman had wandered off towards a group of women and I was marvelling at what a perverted moron he was when I saw Samantha. The first thing I noticed about her was how mature and professional she looked. She was still beautiful but I detected a coolness about her that hadn't been there last time I'd seen her. Her voice hadn't changed either. 'Hello Sergeant, hello John' she looked at me, and it was as if I were a stranger.

'Hello Samantha'


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Dani

My brief conversation with Geoff had left a sour taste in my mouth. Moving swiftly through the empty hallways I suddenly felt my anger at Geoff cool. I knew it was unfair of me to continue in the relationship. In the past I had soothed my own doubts by reminding myself that I'd never made him false promises. I'd never declared strong feelings for him. I had treated our time together as a casual affair and assumed, or at least hoped, that he had too. The decent thing to do would be to call it off, but there was a part of me that was entirely selfish and didn't want to. Entering the Atrium the first thing that caught my eye was the sight of a soldier. He was of Asian decent and dressed in standard special ops garb. Glancing around I saw no sign of the employees that had milled around on my way to the cafeteria. Pinky, having seen me enter had made his way across to me. 'The RRTS is here Dani. They've headed towards the airlock'. 'Thanks Pinky. Where is everyone?' Heading back towards the comm. centre I followed him waiting for his answer. 'They were sent back through the Ark about five minutes ago. There's only a few of us left now and most of those are being sent down soon' I still had no idea what was going on here and I was quickly losing my patience. 'What's going on Pinky?' He looked up at me and I searched his face for some nervous tic or telltale sign that he was lying but there was nothing. 'Your guess is as good as mine Dani. All I can tell you is that there's been no contact from Carmack or Willits or their teams' I glanced over at the marine standing stoically by the door leading towards the anthropology lab. 'Can I get back to my office or is it off limits?' I wasn't sure who to address this question to and so I let it hang in the air. Pinky threw a questioning glance at the marine who then looked at me and nodded. I blew out a breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding and left the atrium.

Reaper

Babysitting Samantha wasn't what I'd thought I'd be doing once I'd reached Mars. Following her towards her office I couldn't help but feel a sense of disquiet. Something was going on here and my gut instinct was that it wasn't anything good. Sam's office was located through a series of metal hallways that seemed to head off in every direction. Initiating the nano-wall I moved ahead of her and scanned the room for any sign of life or movement. Turning the lights on after my go ahead I followed her further into the room. Samantha moved purposefully towards a desk in the corner and sat down. 'How much time are you going to need?' I did not want to be here any longer than necessary. 'Half and hour max' she answered. I took the opportunity to look around the room, trying to find some sign of my sister. The woman with me now was, in all affects, a stranger. I moved quietly around the space taking in the various paraphernalia that came with the position of forensic anthropologist. I could hear Sam typing away at the terminal in front of her and moved around the room quietly. On the other side of the room was another desk and some inner sense told me whose it was. Walking over to it I looked at the paper work scattered across it, the coat on the back of the chair. There was little else to show that a real life person worked here. No photos, trinkets, coffee stains. It appeared to be an almost sterile working environment and it surprised me that Dani would not have personalised it more. The woman that I had known had been warm and compassionate, not cold and detached as the appearance of her desk and space would display. The sound of the nano-door drew my attention away and I turned raising my gun. Walking through it holding a Styrofoam cup in each hand and looking more beautiful than I remembered her was Dani.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The sight of John standing in the middle of the office took the air from my lungs. For the briefest second I was transported back in time to the days when I was still the young college girl and he was the charming older brother of a friend. 'Hello John' my voice was firm and confident and I was proud of how normal I sounded. Inside I was a mess. My heart felt like it was going to explode from my chest and I felt nauseous. 'Hello Danielle'. His voice hadn't changed. It still sounded like warm caramel and sent a shiver down the length of my spine. He had aged since I'd last seen him. Oh he was still handsome, but gone was the clean cut look that I'd fallen in love with. There was a ruggedness about him now that I suppose came from years of death and fighting. His eyes, although still the same were cold and empty. They reminded me of the predatory gaze of a great white and I saw no ounce of warmth in them. At that moment, it hit me that the John I knew was gone. I didn't know this stranger in front of me. It boosted my self confidence momentarily and straightening my shoulders I tore my gaze from him and walked over to Samantha. 'Thanks Dani' she murmured after I'd placed the coffee on her desk. I made my way to my own desk and loaded my user details and password. Once logged in I brought up the file I'd been working on all morning and set to work. I was determined not to be distracted by John. It felt like I'd spent all my life up until that point pining for him and I felt in my bones that if I could make it through this one day I could wash him from my system forever.

'Holy shit' the surprise in John's voice caught my attention and I glanced over to where he stood in front of Lucy. 'Oh yeah, meet Lucy, Lucy, this is my brother John, another long lost creature from my past' Samantha's voice was touched with slight annoyance. 'You found human remains?' he questioned. 'Humanoid' she replied. I was distracted from the conversation when my comm. link alerted me to an incoming call. Slipping on my ear piece I answered it. 'Hey' a familiar masculine voice greeted me. 'Hi Geoff'. I could see John in my peripheral vision swivel to face me. 'I just wanted to check in on you. You know, make sure everything's ok there' I was not fooled by his excuse. I knew the main reason for calling was to ascertain whether or not I'd seen John yet. 'Everything's fine. What's happening there?' I moved the conversation away from myself. 'Not much. Listen Dani…we need to talk'. There was a tone in his voice I hadn't heard before and that sense of guilt washed over me again. 'O.k. When?' There was a pause on the other end of the phone. 'Soon, if possible. Can you get away for a few minutes now?' Maybe it was his tone; because normally I would have arranged a meeting for a more suitable time, or maybe it was because I needed any excuse I could get my hands on to get away from the presence of John. 'Sure. Meet you in the cafeteria in five'.

I left the office and made my way back towards the cafeteria. My nerves were a mess and I seriously contemplated leaving everything and jumping through the Ark. Reaching the main dining hall I noticed that Geoff had chosen a table in the corner and I walked towards him unsure of what to expect. 'Hey' I said. 'Hey' there was a look in his eyes that took me off guard for a moment. I sat down and crossed my legs. 'Thanks for coming' he said as if I was merely an acquaintance. I waited for him to start the conversation. 'Look Dani..' he paused looking any where but me. 'I've been thinking a lot about us and I know that my feelings for you are stronger than yours for me' he looked at me for the first time and I felt my heart break at what I knew he was going to say. 'I knew all along how you felt for John, but I guess I thought over time you'd forget about him. I was hoping that you'd come to care for me' he reached across the table and took one of my hands in his. I wanted so desperately to tell him it wasn't true. I wanted to tell him that I loved him. I wanted to say it and mean it. But I didn't. What could I say? I didn't want to offer meaningless words like 'I'm sorry, or 'It's not you'. I respected him too much to trivialise his feelings. After all, I knew exactly how he was feeling. 'What I'm trying to say' he continued, 'Is, that I think it's time that we realised that our relationship isn't going to go anywhere'. I looked at the man in front of me and again it flashed through my mind how much I hated the woman John had made me into. As if thinking about him had somehow conjured him up, we were interrupted by a figure making its way across the cafeteria towards us. Geoff was the first of us to look and I saw hate, envy and resignation in his eyes. I did not need to turn to see who it was. John did not offer polite introductions. 'You're needed in the office. Now.' His voice was cold, hostile even. I turned to acknowledge him, but he was already gone.

Heaviness settled over me like a cloak as I made my way back to the office. I was in love with a man who would never love me, and I had lost the love of a man who did. I did not miss the irony of my situation.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Reaper

Knowing that Dani's caller was a man set my teeth on edge. I knew how stupid it was to be jealous of the man on the other end of the phone, but the tone in her voice alerted me to the fact that the person she was talking to wasn't just anyone. I don't know what possessed me to follow her. 'She shouldn't be wandering around out there right now' I said to Sam. She gave me a strange look I didn't understand and shrugged her shoulders. 'Makes sense' she replied turning back to the task in front of her. 'Lock the door behind me' I said shouldering my gun and leaving through the nano-wall. I knew from the one sided conversation that I'd heard, that she was going to the cafeteria. I had no idea where it was located and needed to get directions from Pinky. Nodding my head to Mac as I passed I moved stealthily up the now empty hallways leading to the dining hall. The first thing I noticed after entering the room was that Dani sat in the far corner opposite a man who held her hand across the table. An almost uncontrollable urge to take my gun and smash it into his face raged through me and I took a deep steadying breath to calm myself. I walked over to the couple waiting for her to turn and look at me. The man looked up at me and I saw hatred in his eyes that I did not understand. 'You're needed in the office. Now' I said through clenched teeth. I did not wait for her to answer me. I needed to leave the room before I did something I'd regret.

Dani

I left the cafeteria with a heavier heart than when I'd arrived. I knew that I'd hurt Geoff but I didn't know what to say or do to ease his pain. All I knew was that my feelings were tangled and confused and I wanted nothing more than to fast forward through the rest of the day and wake up tomorrow morning feeling refreshed. I was confused by John's attitude towards me. I didn't understand his anger. All I could attribute it to was the fact that I'd joined Sam on Olduvai and perhaps he felt that I had sided with her.

I had almost neared the office when Samantha came running out. I could tell that something was wrong from the tense way she held herself. 'Sam!' She turned to face me. 'Dani, thank god. I've got no idea what the hell's going on here. I heard gunfire and John ran off'. She was nervously pulling at her lab coat and moving from one foot to the other as if she wanted to run. I grabbed her hand to still her movements. 'What are you doing outside the office? Surely John wants you to stay put?' It didn't make sense to me. 'What if someone's hurt? What if they need my help?' She pulled her hand out of mine and moved back the way she had been originally heading. 'Sam' I called out to her, but she did not turn around and she did not look back. 'Fuck' I said to the empty space. 'Fuck'. Weighing up my options I knew that I couldn't leave her alone. I could never live with myself if anything happened to her. Making my decision I ran after her.

Reaper

'Sir' I said to the man crouched in the corner of the empty hall. 'Sir, are you hurt? We're here to help you'. He merely looked at me with fear, his eyes darting nervously from side to side. His lips were quivering and his whole body was tensed. Movement behind me caught my attention and glancing out of the corner of my eye I saw the flash of white that alerted me instantly to Samantha's presence. 'Sam! I told you to stay in the office'. 'He knows me John' she replied pushing her way to the front. 'Doctor Carmack' she said softly to the man. 'Todd, its me, Samantha'. The mans gaze centred on her and she reached her arm out to touch him. He brought his right arm upwards and for a brief second I thought he was going to take the arm Sam offered. Instead, he reached across his chest until he had grasped his left ear, and in one smooth motion ripped it clean from his head. 'Oh god, Jesus Christ' I heard Sam whimper in shock. I was rooted to the spot in amazement. What the fuck was going on here? 'Sam?' Dani's voice sounded behind me. I brought out my left arm to hold her back, and when she saw Todd Carmack in the corner with blood pouring from his head and clutching a body-less arm in his grasp, she turned her head into my shoulder. 'Oh my God' I heard her soft words muffled against the material of my jacket. 'I need a med-kit John' Sam called out. She had moved until she knelt in front of Carmack. Turning, I grabbed one out of the tray in the corner and handed it to her. Dani had regained her composure and moved away from me. As soon as she did I felt the loss of her warmth and wished that she'd come back. She moved over to Samantha, offering her help. To my right, Sarge took in the strange turn of events and divided the team up in pairs. 'Duke, help Doctor Grimm and her friend get Doctor Carmack to the infirmary. Reaper, you and kid head towards Genetics, Goat take the tunnel leading to the archaeology dig, Portman and Destroyer take the weapons lab. We need to find a body for this arm'.

Dani

Moving ahead of Samantha and the man named Duke, my thoughts raced. What the hell was going on here? It suddenly occurred to me that the events that had taken place in the secrecy of Carmack's' lab might very well pose a danger to us all. Following the hallway that led passed our office we did not talk as we made our way to the infirmary. Duke balanced the majority of Carmack's weight while Samantha helped him as much as she could. Reaching the entrance I activated the nano-wall and entered it, quickly locating the light switch and turning it on. I had no experience with medicine or nursing and had no idea what I could do to help. I waited for Sam to direct me. Within minutes she had Todd sedated and was busy patching him up. I watched the interaction between my friend and the marine who had helped us and I couldn't help but notice the blush that covered Sam's face. She was blushing? Interesting, I thought to myself. I had known Samantha for years and I had never known her to be flustered in the presence of members of the opposite sex. Five minutes went passed and we did not hear from John or the other members of the RRTS. Then ten minutes. My frustration was building and the longer we had to wait, the greater my fear became. What was happening out there? Was John ok? What about the other members of Carmack's and Willet's teams? I couldn't help but steal glances at Todd Carmack who now lay peacefully on a cot in the corner of the room. What have you done?

The nano-wall engaged causing me to jump in fright and I spun around to see John walk through holding another man. He was joined by another marine who stood on the injured mans right hand side and who was also helping to carry him. They half carried half dragged the man onto a nearby cot where Sam stood ready. They laid the man down and Samantha quickly inspected him. The only wound that was visible was a large gaping hole in the side of his neck that bore a strange resemblance to a dog bite. He was very pale and his face was covered with splattered blood.


	14. Chapter 14

Five minutes later, Goat was dead.

For a few brief moments the people in the infirmary forgot about the danger outside the safety of the nano wall and stood in the grip of shock. Nobody moved and in some remote part of John's mind he imagined that this was all just a dream. He'd wake at any moment and Goat would be perched on the end of his bunk at headquarters, a familiar bible resting firmly in his hand. An eerie keening noise from somewhere in the complex broke him from his thoughts and he looked down at the now lifeless body resting on the table in front of him. He felt the rage building up inside and with a ferocity he hadn't known he'd possessed lashed out at the nearest object. The small cart flew across the room and crashed against the wall. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sam jump. Raising his head he met Sarges' gaze. In it he saw a flash of something that resembled pain but it was quickly masked and replaced by something akin to resignation. A brief second later anger flared in his commanders eyes and the older man turned towards Samantha. He took three menacing steps towards the now shaking woman until he came within striking distance of her. For the briefest second John thought that that was exactly what Sarge had in mind. He felt his spine stiffen and the grip he held on his gun tightened.

'Doctor, do you wanna tell me what the fuck is going on here?'

Temporarily forgotten, Dani stood trembling in the corner of the room. As much as she willed herself not to, her eyes were constantly drawn to the soldier lying on the infirmary bed. John moved over and carefully closed his fallen comrades' eyes. Dani followed the movement of his fingers and it was as if time slowed down. A memory flared and she once again felt those very fingers run smoothly over the length of her body. Feather light touches over warm skin. A flush rose to Dani's face but it was more out of guilt at the train of thoughts her mind had taken at a time like this. Tears came to her eyes and she blinked rapidly to clear them. Across the room a large man with imposing features seemed to be grilling Samantha and without thinking Dani found herself moving towards her friend. As she neared Sam Dani gave the quickest of glimpses to the lifeless body. For the first time she was able to see clearly the large hole that had been made in the mans' neck. A pool of blood had coagulated on the bed under him and had begun drying. The flesh around the wound appeared ragged, as if something had bitten or torn out the mans' flesh. Fresh bile rose up in her throat and she took an involuntary step back. She felt herself come into contact with something large and warm and she barely managed to repress the scream that rose unbidden as she spun around. She had raised her hands in front in an act of self defence and now found that they rested squarely on John's chest. She looked up into his eyes and was saddened by the grief she saw in them. Perhaps he too had seen something in her gaze for his arms moved around to encase her. In response she moved her hands from the warmth of his chest and put them around him, laying her cheek over his heart. It was a brief interlude in what was quickly becoming a real life nightmare and in the back of her mind Dani knew that no matter what happened now, and no matter how long she lived, she would never forget the sound of his heart beating beneath her or the way her own heart broke at that moment. It felt as if all her old scars had been freshly opened and the walls she had carefully built around herself were crumbling.

'I don't want to love you anymore' she whispered against his chest. The words themselves were muffled and he never heard them.

My apologies for the shortness of this chapter. Thankyou very much to those kind people who gave me their feedback. I can't tell you how much it was appreciated.


	15. Chapter 15

She was startled out of her thoughts by the harsh voice of Sarge.

'Come here!' he demanded of Sam.

Walking over to him her friend looked like an animal caught in the headlights of an on-coming vehicle.

'This is what?' the large man questioned her with a snarl as he threw back the sheet covering a body Dani wasn't even aware had been there.

'Oh, God' Sam half moaned. Dani's eyes widened at the site of the monstrosity underneath and turned her face into John's chest. In reflex his arms tightened around her and he brought a hand up to the back of her head.

'Have you found anything like this on your archaeological digs?'

'No' Sam answered shaking her head. Her eyes held a sheen of determination.

'Is there any way this thing came from the outside' he grilled her. 'Like from the surface?'

'The planet is completely dead.' Her tone was almost defiant as if she challenged him to disagree with her. She was, after all, the scientist and he was a marine.

'Well it came from somewhere lady' the nasally voice of Portman entered the conversation. The expression on his face showed his fear beneath a look of disbelief at what she said.

'Portman, shut up' Sarge broke in.

Dani heard the conversation continue but tuned out. Things were happening so fast that she was finding it difficult to keep up. Was it only this morning that she'd gone to work with nothing more to worry about then getting on top of all her paperwork before Christmas? And now, she stood being held in the arms of the man she'd never stopped loving, while his fellow marines stood around the dead body of their fallen comrade. And on the table…..she didn't want to think about it.

'Look at that thing!!!' the shout snapped her to attention and she glanced over at Portman. His hair had half fallen over his face and spittle rested on his bottom lip. His eyes were angry and for a brief second Dani thought he might have meant violence on Sam.

'Portman. Shut the fuck up!' Sarge roared.

Suddenly John took a step back releasing her. He moved away towards the table that held the creature.

'That's not what Goat and I shot at in Genetics' he said firmly.

'Are you telling me there's more of these fucking things' Portman questioned

'Where are your surface entry points?' Sarge asked Sam

'There's a pressure door at the end of the north corridor' she answered.

'Destroyer, you Kid and Portman get there on the double' He issued the command in a take shit from no one tone that brooked no argument. 'Give me an update'

The large Blackman in the corner stepped forward. 'Yes sir'

'Whatever this thing is, it cannot get back through the Ark.' 'Mac' he spoke into his comm. link. 'I want you to arm Pinky with a weapon, with some S-T grenades, and seal the Ark door'

'There's one other door' Sam offered up quietly

'Where?'

Before she could reply John stepped forward.

'The entrance to the archaeological dig' he said.

The Sarge looked at the marine in front of him, at his sister, and lastly at the quiet young woman to his right.

'Duke'

'Yes Sir'

'You'll remain here with the Doctor and Miss Fontaine. Reaper' he paused. 'You're with me'.

Dani tried to keep her eyes averted to what Sam was doing in the middle of the infirmary. Yet as much as she tried she was unable to block out the sound of flesh tearing and bones being broken as she manoeuvred her way around the body on the table. Sitting in a chair in the corner of the room she glanced periodically at the marine who stood menacingly near the door. Part of her wanted to go and offer her assistance to her friend, but the fear she felt was quickly escalating and she didn't know if she could bring herself to go anywhere near that abomination.

'What is that thing?' she eventually asked.

Sam quickly glanced at her before returning to her task.

'I don't know Dani'

'Do you think it has anything to do with what Carmack's been working on? Dani questioned.

'Hard to tell' Sam replied, 'he's always been secretive. I find it hard to believe that anyone would deliberately create such a monster'

'It was an accident' Dani said softly

Sams' head rose quickly at Dani's statement. 'How do you know that?'

'Their dead Sam. Surely they wouldn't have created anything that they thought would kill them?

'Science can sometimes go to peoples head. They search for the meaning of life, of death and they want more. Always more' she finished with a shake of her head. Beneath her deft fingers the creature was exposed. Its ribs were pushed to the sides exposing its internal organs. Suddenly the small tool that Sam had been holding slipped from her fingers and into the creatures' mouth. 'Shit' she muttered.

Dani felt as though she was going to crawl out of her own skin. She stood and began pacing the room, wall to wall, wall to wall. She didn't want to look at the silent marine as he moved over to help Samantha. To look at him would be to be reminded of John, and her heart cried knowing that he was out there with another of those creatures moving around in the darkness.

She stopped her pacing and looked intently at the floor, trying hard to stop the tears that threatened to spill. Covering her face with shaking hands, she began to pray.


	16. Chapter 16

Time seemed to slow in the confines of the infirmary. In the background she could hear the soft words of Sam and the marine as they worked on the creature. Dani's eyes flickered towards the nano-wall repeatedly, hoping to see the figure of John move through it any moment. What would happen to them? Was this how she was going to die? She suddenly felt regret for all the things she hadn't done. For the things she had never had the courage to say. She would've given anything to be able to go back to that night years ago and do things differently. She wouldn't have left. She would've stayed and waited to see what the morning brought. 'Please God' she prayed, 'bring him back to me'. Glancing around the room she looked at the window that separated the main infirmary area and the small sick bay in which they had placed the dead marines body. A shiver ran down her spine and glanced at the others to see if they felt as uncomfortable as she did. Their heads were close together and they seemed deep in conversation. She felt like a third wheel standing around doing nothing. She needed to put her fear aside and offer whatever assistance she could. Moving towards them she kept her gaze carefully averted from the monstrosity on the table.

Memories flooded his mind as he and Sarge made their way to the dig site. He could hear his parents' voices, Sam's laughter, and his own screams. He'd tried not to think about it too much over the years. He still felt their loss keenly and on top of that he had the guilt of knowing that he'd let Sam down as well. 'If I get out of this alive' he thought, 'I'll make it up to her'. The play of the their lights in the darkness drew his concentration back to the job at hand. What in God's name had these scientists been doing up here? Rounding a corner they entered a narrow hallway that ended in a large steel door. He turned around training his gun on the darkness from which they'd just come. Walking carefully backwards he waited for Sarge to open the door, enter the room and give him the all clear.

Dani had just about made it to the others when Sam looked up and gasped. Following her friend's line of sight, she spun around and was confronted by the site of the dead marine standing squarely in the centre of the sick bay. Bile rose up in her throat and she felt her bladder let go. Seconds later the man charged at the window and Dani shrunk back in fear, expecting the glass to shatter and spill him into the infirmary. The man bounced off the window leaving splatters of blood and brain matter on the glass. He seemed temporarily dazed but quickly recovered took a step back and charged again. Dani moaned, too scared to be able to scream. Again and again he repeated his actions until his lifeless body could take no more and he slid to the ground. Dani felt the wetness running down her legs but she was too petrified to be embarrassed by it. She stood motionless her eyes fixed firmly on the blood on the window.

'Oh god' she muttered, 'we're all going to die'.

Samantha moved her eyes to where her friend stood and noticed the puddle growing at her feet. Understanding registered in the blink of an eye and she moved over to her. Grasping Dani by the upper arm she propelled her away from the window and towards the opposite side of the room.

'It's ok Dani' she reassured.

'I don't understand' Dani mumbled softley. 'He was dead wasn't he?'

'Yes he was' Samantha answered. 'Let's get you out of these clothes ok?'

'I'm sorry Sam' She looked at her friend and suddenly felt like a child.

'You have nothing to be sorry for Dani'.

'I'm going to go to my room and get changed' Dani said moving towards the nano-wall.

'No! Dani you can't. It's not safe out there.' Sam moved quickly to intercept her.

The large marine also moved in her direction.

'There are spare clothes in the infirmary hamper ok?' Again Samantha guided her towards the corner of the room. A large metal cupboard and she quickly opened it and rummaged through its contents until she found what she was looking for. 'There going to be a little large but there's a drawstring on the waist so that you can tie them up'. She handed the clothes to her stunned friend and pulled a portable screen across in order to give the girl some privacy. Beside the cupboard was a small sink and several bottles of disinfectant and soap. Sam grabbed a clean cloth from under the sink and turned on the tap. Filling the sink with warm water she put the cloth in it.

'Dani look at me'.

She waited until her friend lifted her head and met her gaze.

'There's soap, water and a cloth here ok?' Dani nodded forcing a smile that felt alien to her face.

She waited until Samantha moved away and quickly stripped off her pants. The first blush of embarrassment stained her skin and tears threatened to escape. Shaking her head in determination, she squared her shoulders and begun cleaning herself with the warm cloth. She would not let herself be a hindrance to her friend. They needed her to be strong right now. She could break down later.

'She gonna be ok' Duke asked her softly as she reached him.

Sam looked at him, fear and worry evident on her face. Nodding she looked down at the table, 'I think so'. Oh God I hope so, she added silently to herself.


End file.
